On a quiet street in downtown Amsterdam, the founder of a new religious society/commune-a group that calls itself 'Hindist' and mixes elements of various 'Eastern' traditions-is found hanging from a ceiling beam. Detective-Adjutant Grijpstra and Sergeant de Gier of the Amsterdam police are sent to investigate what looks like a simple suicide, but they are immediately suspicious of the circumstances.

On a quiet street in downtown Amsterdam, the founder of a new religious society/commune-a group that calls itself 'Hindist' and mixes elements of various 'Eastern' traditions-is found hanging from a ceiling beam. Detective-Adjutant Grijpstra and Sergeant de Gier of the Amsterdam police are sent to investigate what looks like a simple suicide, but they are immediately suspicious of the circumstances.

Janwillem Van de Wetering was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands on February 12, 1931.

He traveled extensively, both geographically and philosophically, his adventures ranging from being a motorcycle gang member to a Buddhist, a real estate salesman in Australia to an exporter in Holland.

He was a police officer in Amsterdam from 1966 to 1975 and his crime novels featuring detectives Grijpstra and De Gier were based on his experiences. He also wrote a trilogy based on the time he spent at a Japanese Zen Buddhist monastery and wrote children's books about a porcupine named Hugh Pine. In 1984, he received the French Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. He died on July 4, 2008 at the age of 77.